A Portland man has been handed a conditional discharge after drunkenly kicking a woman in the street.

Paul Thomas Fitzpatrick, aged 52 and of New Road on Portland pleaded guilty to one charge of assault by beating relating to an incident in the early hours of Tuesday, April 25 2017 on the Esplanade.

Elizabeth Valera prosecuting, told the court that the victim and defendant did not know each other.

She said: "The victim is out in Weymouth with her partner and has been to a couple of clubs.

"At about 4am the victim and her partner were just outside Boom Box. The victim's partner asked to use her phone and as he was holding it up to get signal when Fitzpatrick takes the phone and walks away.

"The victim told the security staff and the police were called.

"Officers caught up with Fitzpatrick at the end of the road.

"The victim then approached and asked for her phone back. Fitzpatrick then kicks out at the woman causing her to fall to the ground.

"He said he was very drunk and had been drinking cider from the mid-afternoon."

Fitzpatrick has no previous convictions but has a previous caution from 2010.

Mitigating, Karen O'Brien said: "Mr Fitzpatrick's memory of that night is not very good.

"What he does tell me is that he thought the the two people were taking photos of him. He would fully accept that this was the wrong assumption.

"There is little he can say. He should not have done it and he is sorry that he did it."

Chairman of the bench, Sarah Saunders handed Fitzpatrick a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered him to pay compensation of £50 to the victim.